Autotransfusion is a therapeutic method that involves reintroducing the patient’s own blood into their veins. It differs from blood transfusions that are performed using the blood of other humans.
In this type of autotransfusion, blood that is lost during any hemorrhage in the patient, whether it is preoperative or postoperative, is collected using various methods and immediately reintroduced into the patient’s vein. This is an emergency autotransfusion because most of the time the patient is missing that lost blood volume and needs it to be replenished immediately.
It is mainly indicated in surgical procedures for patients who have had previous hemorrhages or during the operation that is being performed.